Saying Goodbye to Soccer

In the HVAC tournament championship game last night at USN's River Campus, JP's MBA team lost to a tough David Lipscomb squad, 2-0.  

Lipscomb's goalie, Campbell, who plays travel soccer with my law partner's son, was the difference.  He was tested several times but never allowed a goal.  MBA's goalie wasn't as strong, and Lipscomb scored a goal late in the first half and another early in the second half.  Really, that was that, as MBA just couldn't break through.  

The first goal was a tough one, as JP - playing left back - and one of the midfielders miscommunicated on a ball that could easily have been cleared.  As a result, one of the Lipscomb players lobbed it over JP's head and Lipscomb's best and fastest forward beat JP to the ball and scored a relatively easy goal.  I felt for JP because he should have taken the ball and cleared it.  I think his inexperience showed on that play and it cost MBA a goal.

Truthfully, I was a little glad when Lipscomb scored the second goal.  I didn't want MBA to lose 1-0 and for JP to have given up the only goal of the night.  In other words, I didn't want his last memory of soccer to be of giving up the only goal in the championship game.  That would be a tough one but, yes, part of life, too.

 Last memory?  I think so because in high school, soccer is a spring sport, as is baseball.  It's very likely - a certainty, according to JP - that he will want to play junior varsity and varsity baseball, rather than soccer, next year and beyond.  In fact, on several occasions, including a couple of nights ago, he has told Jude that this is his last season to play soccer.  

I've enjoyed immensely the run his team has been on this season - 10-0 before last night's loss.  I've really enjoyed watching him compete in a sport about which I know very little.  He plays hard, physically, and aggressively, which I love.  He competes, because he's JP, something else I also love.  Although he's relatively inexperienced compared to a few of his teammates who play travel soccer, JP has not seemed out of place at all in any game.  What he lacked in soccer acumen, he made up for in athleticism and desire, or so it seemed to me.  

As I watched JP play last night and Tuesday night against USN, I couldn't help but think back to all of the recreational league games on Saturday mornings over the years at First Presbyterian Church, playing for Thomas McDaniel.  I thought about the FCS club team he played for with University School Classmates before it disbanded after a year or so.  Those are good memories, for sure, even though admittedly I'm not the biggest soccer fan.  

Watching JP play this season and seeing his skill level increase, undoubtedly because he's practicing and playing with more skilled teammates, I've wondered how different things might have been had he chosen to pursue soccer at a higher level at an earlier age.  For example, if we had moved JP to something like Joe's team, Armada, at age 10, my guess is that he might have had a future in soccer, particularly at the high school level but maybe beyond.

JP's body type is perfect for soccer.  He's thin, narrow waisted, and he can run forever.  He's got big, strong legs, too.  The only thing he lacked was the foot skills - the ball handling skills - that a few of his better teammates had.  That, of course, comes from years of playing soccer at a highly competitive level.  

What's really impressive, though, is that JP heads straight to basketball tryouts on Saturday and Monday.  Unless something changes, he'll make the A team or, at least, the B team, then he'll play baseball in the spring.  I don't think any of his soccer teammates will be playing basketball and baseball.  I continue to be amazed by JP's athleticism.  

Next year, out of necessity, JP will have to make a decision about which sports he wants to continue to play competitively.  High school sports require more time, practicing and playing, and it's just not practical to dabble in multiple sports.  My guess is that he will run cross country in the fall, play basketball in the winter, and play baseball in the spring.  To be continued, I guess.

JP was the last player to leave the sideline last night after the loss.  I walked across the pitch in the cold, shivering a bit under the lights on a cold, clear November night.  As I approached, he hugged each of his four coaches in turn, the longest hug reserved for his head coach, Giles Cheevers, of whom he is very fond.

I overheard the coaches congratulating JP on a good season.  I might be overthinking it but I think his coaches recognized it was very likely JP's last soccer game.  I shook the coaches' hands and thanked them, as JP gathered his gear, seeming to linger on the sideline for an extra moment or two, like he was soaking in the moment.     

Coach Cheevers put his arm around JP, looked down at him, and said "JP, are you okay?"  "I'm good," JP replied, nodding his head, as he shouldered his backpack.  

As we walked away from the sideline, father and son, I told JP how proud of him I was, and that I knew it was a tough loss.  

"You competed," I said.  "All season long.   Tonight, you were the man in the arena, and that means something."  

We met up with Jude and Joe on the far sideline and just like that, JP's soccer playing days were over.